Tag Archives: making changes

Planting Seeds Of Change

As we head into another year, I like to both look back at the last one and ahead to the new one. Each year brings its own set of changes that we didn’t plan for or anticipate. We can only react to those things as they come. However, there are things we can be proactive about that create our own change for the future. My favorite quote says, “I don’t measure my day by the harvest that I bring in. Instead I measure it by the seeds that I plant. For in planting seeds, I ensure a future harvest.” What seeds of change are you planting for next year and beyond? What are you doing today to make tomorrow different?

In Genesis 26 it says that there was a severe famine in the land and Isaac moved to the land of the Philistines. Verse 12 says, “When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him” (NLT). He had been forced to move from circumstances beyond his co trip. He could have used that as an excuse to not plant. He could have used the famine as an excuse too, but he didn’t. Instead we see that Isaac planted seeds and reaped an incredible harvest. God blessed what he sowed. Not only did he reap a huge harvest, the next couple of verses say that he acquired lots of livestock as well.

2 Corinthians 9:6 says, “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.” It’s easy to make excuses for not doing things today. The timing may never feel right to take risks, make changes or plant seeds. Plant anyway. God will only multiply the harvest of seeds that are planted. Even if you plant a few seeds, you will still reap a small harvest. What areas of your life do you want God to bless? Plant seeds there. What areas of growth do you want to experience? Plant seeds there. God is ready to bless and give you an increase, but you have to plant seeds. He created the law of sowing and reaping. Don’t delay another day. Start planting seeds of change for next year now.

Photo by Binyamin Mellish on Pexels.

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

One Small Decision

I’ve seen commercials and even YouTube videos demonstrating the Domino Effect combined with the geometric growth principles. In one video, the gentleman has around 13 dominos growing at a rate of 1.5%. The smallest one he had to use tweezers to set down because it was on,y 5 mm tall. The last one was over 3’ tall and weighed over 100 pounds. Once set, he barely touches the 5mm domino. That’s when the Domino Effect came into play. One by one they pushed each other down until the giant one fell. It’s a great demonstration of how little decisions or habits can create a massive shift in our future and change our lives. In the moment they see. Inconsequential, but when you look back you can point to a single decision or habit that changed everything.

I love how the story of Ruth demonstrates these principles. With all three women’s husbands dead, Naomi tells her two daughters in law to return home to their families. One makes the decision to return, while Ruth decides to male Naomi’s people her people and worship her God. That decision led her to live in Bethlehem. She then decided to glean from a nearby field to get grain. That decision caused her to walk into the field of Boaz who actually had the power to redeem her. That decision led to marriage and a son who would continue the family name. That son had a son whose name was Jesse, and he had a son named David who became king. The family tree kept going through generations there until one day down the line a couple gave birth to a son and named Him Jesus. It all started with the decision to stay with Naomi.

Proverbs 3:6 says,“Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (NLT). When I train classes, I’ll often end with a critical thinking exercise. I have people look at the results they’re getting in their lives and ask, “What do you need to continue doing that is giving you these results?” I follow that with, “What’s one thing you need to start doing to change your future results?” Then I wrap up with, “What’s something you need to stop doing?” Applying these three questions to your life, and implementing them, will create a domino effect of geometric proportions in your life. Make prayerful plans and decisions so that you create movement in your future and the Lord will work out His purpose in your life. If you don’t like where things are now, you’re one small decision away from a different future.

Photo by Astrid Schaffner on Unsplash

Here’s a video demonstrating these principles.

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Learning From Lessons

Often times, at the end of a lesson, I like to ask the group, “What were your key take aways?” What I really want to know is what they learned and what they’ll implement once they leave. As we go around the room, several people will give the same one. It’s always cool for me when that happens because there was a moment when lots of lightbulbs came on at one moment. They had an epiphany that there is something they’re not doing that’s holding them back, and they need to make a change in that area. If we never have those moments, we’ll keep on doing what we’ve been doing, and there’s little growth in that.

When you and I go through something, I often wonder if God is asking us what our key take aways are. I believe God wants each one of us to learn and grow. We should be constantly moving in the direction He’s leading us into. Along the way, there will be lessons to learn so that we can accomplish something He has for us down the road. God has great plans for each one of us, so we must be ready to learn and adjust along the way. John the Baptist said, “I must decrease, and He must increase,” to explain the change that needs to happen.

David was another person that learned lessons as he transitioned from a shepherd to a king. Before he became king, he shared some key take aways all of us can learn from in Psalm 27:14. He said, “Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting—for he will never disappoint you!” (TPT) Because He was able to learn these things and implement them into His life, God was able to exalt him to king. Imagine what God can do in your life if you’re willing to learn what He’s teaching you right now.

Photo by Marcos Luiz Photograph on Unsplash

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized